Roberto Enciso Castillo, aged 45, tragically lost his life on August 13, 2017, in Menifee, California. He was found dead alongside his brother, Juan Enciso Castillo, aged 41, at a residence on Waldon Road. Both men had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. The incident was reported to the authorities just before 11 p.m. that night, prompting an immediate investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
The investigation quickly identified Jesus Sanchez Ponce, a 39-year-old resident
of Mecca, California, as the primary suspect in the double homicide. Ponce was charged with two counts of murder but remained at large following the incident. He was last seen driving a brown 2007 GMC Sierra pickup truck with a California license plate. Authorities described him as armed and dangerous, urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to come forward.
In addition to Ponce, another individual, Gustavo Perez Iturriaga, aged 43, was implicated in the case. Iturriaga, a resident of North Shore, California, was arrested shortly after the murders and charged with being an accessory after the fact. He was accused of aiding Ponce in evading capture, although the specifics of his involvement were not disclosed by the authorities. Iturriaga pleaded not guilty to the charges and was held on a $500,000 bail at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in French Valley.
The case garnered significant attention due to the violent nature of the crime and the ongoing manhunt for Ponce. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, Ponce remained at large, and the motive behind the killings was not immediately clear. The community of Menifee was left in shock and mourning as they grappled with the loss of two of their own and the unsettling presence of an armed fugitive in their midst.
